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The waterfall bragging thread.

Crinco

Crinco

Well-Known Member
Location
Heber
Herzog said:
Well, the Proving grounds were bought and closed because of future commercial development or something like that. It's not that we lost them to a 'wilderness' order or something like that. Those trails will definately be missed though.
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I wouldn't call it a victory for SUWA, but It is still a loss for us. Everytime an area is lost, it makes me want to thank the BFE guys even more. Too bad someone couldn't have bought the Proving grounds area too.
Either way it is still unavailable to us now.
 
Bart

Bart

Registered User
Location
Arm Utah
As for the top fall on Upper Proving Grounds...that one is the scariest I've ever attempted. I played on it unstacked for 15 minutes in the old RockIt until I had bent my left lower rear link too badly to continue. It is a nightmare climb that (as far as I know) only a couple of people (in the Mt Logan K2's) have made without stacking the heck out of...even with a big stack, I've never seen anyone make it except in the video with Johnnie G and one of the Williams Bros.[/quote]

That was Nate Williams, but I think he was in Johnnies K2. From what I've heard Charlie Copsie was the first to make it up Upper PG unassisted, but he did use rear stear and he crawled it. Wicked climb for sure.
 
I Lean

I Lean

Mbryson's hairdresser
Vendor
Location
Utah
Bart said:
That was Nate Williams, but I think he was in Johnnies K2. From what I've heard Charlie Copsie was the first to make it up Upper PG unassisted, but he did use rear stear and he crawled it. Wicked climb for sure.
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I think Parker may have driven up it as well, but I'm not certain.
 
RockMonkey

RockMonkey

Suddenly Enthusiastic
Upper Proving Grounds is my favorite trail ever. There is still a possibility of having it open on a limited basis in the future.
 
R

RedBull_RockIt

Registered User
Bart said:
That was Nate Williams, but I think he was in Johnnies K2.
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The vid that was floating around of that was amazing...it flat out denied Tracy in his Matrix and to see the K2 climb it immediatly after was insane. The look on Tracy's face was priceless...I guess about the same as my face when Bec pulled off the waterfall after I was stumped so many times:-\

Bart said:
From what I've heard Charlie Copsie was the first to make it up Upper PG unassisted, but he did use rear stear and he crawled it.
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That rumor was the same I heard too BUT a rumor I have a hard time believing...crawling that SLIPPERY line, even with stickeys, just doesn't hold water even with rear steer. Who knows if it happened and if it did, what the curcumstances were (spotter rope, big stack, winch, just a fun story, or the real deal) BUT if anyone has the balls to give it heck hard enough, it surely is Charlie. I always wondered if some just mistook the last waterfall on Upper with the many waterfalls before the last one as many of those falls deny MANY rigs...? OR was the bottom really filled in with a ton of sand, rocks, etc naturally and then the bottom degraded over time...?

Regardless, seeing as the obstacle no longer exists for us, I'd rather NOT know if it was true...it just makes Charlie that much more mysterious:greg:
 
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I Lean

I Lean

Mbryson's hairdresser
Vendor
Location
Utah
RedBull_RockIt said:
The vid that was floating around of that was amazing...it flat out denied Tracy in his Matrix and to see the K2 climb it immediatly after was insane. The look on Tracy's face was priceless...I guess about the same as my face when Bec pulled off the waterfall after I was stumped so many times:-\


That rumor was the same I heard too BUT a rumor I have a hard time believing...crawling that SLIPPERY line, even with stickeys, just doesn't hold water even with rear steer. Who knows if it happened and if it did, what the curcumstances were (spotter rope, big stack, winch, just a fun story, or the real deal) BUT if anyone has the balls to give it heck hard enough, it surely is Charlie. I always wondered if some just mistook the last waterfall on Upper with the many waterfalls before the last one as many of those falls deny MANY rigs...? OR was the bottom really filled in with a ton of sand, rocks, etc naturally and then the bottom degraded over time...?

Regardless, seeing as the obstacle no longer exists for us, I'd rather NOT know if it was true...it just makes Charlie that much more mysterious:greg:
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My apologies if I ruin any mystery for you, but I found this:

From Moab EJS 2002 said:
The hero of the week was Charlie Copsey in his tube-frame Jeep with a supercharged Buick 3.8L, a TH700R4, and Unimog 404 axles. This yellow spider four-wheel steered its way up the last waterfall on Proving Grounds with help from two guys pulling on the winch cable. That’s the closest thing to driving this obstacle we’ve ever seen.
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p141730_image_large.jpg
 
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R

RedBull_RockIt

Registered User
I thought so...but darn.

In that pic, that is about as high as I ever got, and I was full on...just as the fronts got to the top, the rears hit that finger and things get screwy. If you slam it in reverse, your left rear comes down in a hole against a wall and a boulder that is buried in there while the right is free to roll. It makes for interesting saves and that resistance took out my 2" x 3/4" wall cromo link by bending it in an arc.
 
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Crinco

Crinco

Well-Known Member
Location
Heber
That is an awesume photo! Most photos make the climb look flat and easy, this one really shows what he has going on! Pretty darn cool, but I don't know if I would have the rocks to try it without rear steer, or at all.:)
 
I Lean

I Lean

Mbryson's hairdresser
Vendor
Location
Utah
RedBull_RockIt said:
I thought so...but darn.

In that pic, that is about as high as I ever got, and I was full on...just as the fronts got to the top, the rears hit that finger and things get screwy. If you slam it in reverse, your left rear comes down in a hole against a wall and a boulder that is buried in there while the right is free to roll. It makes for interesting saves and that resistance took out my 2" x 3/4" wall cromo link by bending it in an arc.
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:eek: :eek: I never actually tried that climb on UPG without a winch, it was scary. :D Hopefully one day I'll get the opportunity again....
 
greenjeep

greenjeep

Cause it's green, duh!
Location
Moab Local!
RedBull_RockIt said:
BUT if anyone has the balls to give it heck hard enough, it surely is Charlie.
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I know Charlie pretty well (he's the one who put my CJ body on a TJ frame, like his first comp rig), and I remember when he climbed it, he definately has the balls to do it!!!
 
jpest

jpest

Anti-Social Networking
Location
West Jordan Utah
Has the waterfall on upper gotten easier over the years? Or are there just alot more capable rigs built for climbing these type obsticles now? Seems like alot more rigs make it these days than in the beginning.
 
Herzog

Herzog

somewhat damaged
Admin
Location
Wyoming
One thing I have really noticed is that the base of the waterfall varies quite a bit. When it storms hard it either washes the lower part out a lot or it will fill it up really high with sediment enough to get the back tires to roll up the wall nicely.

Other times when it's washed out I've seen people stack rocks up pretty high to make a good ramp at it. It can be kind of a dynamic obstacle. :D
 
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